LF Cheap 1st rifle

[RottenApple]

B"H

I'm looking for a decent, cheap, first rifle. Nothing fancy, and definitely cheap. PawPaw bought my kids (Sammi - 14, and William - 12) each their own Crickett "My First Rifle" .22LR. I'm wanting something that I can take to the range for "Daddy & Me Time". I'm currently looking into the Mosin Nagant M91/30. I can get them just about anywhere for under $100 and ammo is both plentiful and cheap. I've got 2 questions:

1) For those who have experience with the M91/30, is it a good first rifle?
2) Any other recommendations for a decent, cheap, rifle for a long-gun novice?

[Dave2]

B"H

I'm looking for a decent, cheap, first rifle. Nothing fancy, and definitely cheap. PawPaw bought my kids (Sammi - 14, and William - 12) each their own Crickett "My First Rifle" .22LR. I'm wanting something that I can take to the range for "Daddy & Me Time". I'm currently looking into the Mosin Nagant M91/30. I can get them just about anywhere for under $100 and ammo is both plentiful and cheap. I've got 2 questions:

1) For those who have experience with the M91/30, is it a good first rifle?
2) Any other recommendations for a decent, cheap, rifle for a long-gun novice?

1) Dunno. It's my only rifle, so I don't have anything to compare it to. The ammo might not be cheap, depending on where you shoot it. The cheap stuff has an iron or steel core, and I think most ranges won't let you shoot that. (At least the two closest to me won't.)
2) Ruger 10/22, unless you're avoiding .22LR.

[G.A. Heath]

I have an Mosin Nagant M44, I have a family member with a 91/30. Both rifles are OK shooters, the trigger is nothing to write home about, they are heavy, and recoil wise they are not Cadillacs (Especially the M44). If you just want a milsurp rifle to shoot then its a good choice, but if you want something that the children will be able to shoot in the near future then the Mosin Nagant isn't it. This is not a rifle I recommend often, but if your just looking for a budget long gun then this may be your ticket. Seeing as how this would be a first rifle I would also suggest something in rim fire like the 10/22, you could later get another and give your kids each one when they out grow the Cricketts. Another option would be to look for a good used bolt action in .223.

[sookandy]

I have 6 Mosin Nagants so far. They make for cheap fun with a lot of history. They are not an all day shooter though. I bought a Marlin model 60 for plinking fun because they were pretty cheap. Can't go wrong with the 10/22 though.

[RottenApple]

Thank you all for your responses. I decided to go ahead and get the Mos-Nag. I just picked it up today at Mickey's Ammo Depot in Caddo Mills. They've got a ton of them, including 2 from ~1930 with octagonal receivers. Here's mine:



So now to begin the process of cleaning....

[Katygunnut]

I recently bought my 10 year old a Cricket. One thing to remember is that it is perfectly acceptable for you to take turns shooting the same rifle as your kids. If you are like me, you will want to be watching them while they shoot, instead of sitting at the next bench over shooting your own rifle (then again I tend to be a bit paranoid when it comes to my kids).

If your son's have the same model as my daughter, then it will be difficult to hit anything beyond 25 yards (she ended up shooting at 10 yards), and you probably don't want to shoot your larger caliber rifle at that distance. Of course, if you go with a 22, then you could probably sit right next to them.

When I took my daughter out shooting, I brought along an AR for me to shoot, but the only thing I actually fired was her Cricket. We ended up having a bit of a contest on 2 side by side targets.

[RottenApple]

Thanks for the tip, Katy. I appreciate all the advice I can get.

My son is only 12, but with pistols he picked up the rules and ran with them. I still keep him to my right when we shoot so that I can still see him at all times, but I have fewer worries about him. I will, of course, still keep a close eye on him, especially since neither of us are very familiar with rifles. And the RSO at GPSR are good people and have offered to help us out.

My daughter, who is 14, is fairly terrified of guns but she is willing to learn. When taking her shooting, I will definitely NOT be shooting at the same time, regardless of whether it's pistols or rifles. I'll have 1,000% of my attention focused on her and helping her over her fears.

In both cases, I'd like my own rifle so that when they want to take a break I can shoot something a little more my size.

[sookandy]

You got some up close pics of the barrel shank? And the type of slots for the sling?

[Katygunnut]

Thanks for the tip, Katy. I appreciate all the advice I can get.

My son is only 12, but with pistols he picked up the rules and ran with them. I still keep him to my right when we shoot so that I can still see him at all times, but I have fewer worries about him. I will, of course, still keep a close eye on him, especially since neither of us are very familiar with rifles. And the RSO at GPSR are good people and have offered to help us out.

My daughter, who is 14, is fairly terrified of guns but she is willing to learn. When taking her shooting, I will definitely NOT be shooting at the same time, regardless of whether it's pistols or rifles. I'll have 1,000% of my attention focused on her and helping her over her fears.

In both cases, I'd like my own rifle so that when they want to take a break I can shoot something a little more my size.

Good luck on getting your daughter more comfortable with guns. With mine, I started her on a BB gun for her 10th birthday. I got the least powerful one I could find (350 fps) and made sure it wouldn't shoot through the back fence. She had so much fun shooting cans, that she agreed to let me buy her the Cricket. Of course, it also helped a ton that her Mom mentioned she was 10 when she first started shooting with her Dad.

[RottenApple]

You got some up close pics of the barrel shank? And the type of slots for the sling?

Sure. Took these this morning. FYI, from the markings on the shank I've identified it as coming from Izhevsk (Soviet Union). I've gotten it cleaned up, though from what I've read there will be more cosmoline seeping out of the barrel after a trip to the range.

[RottenApple]

Good luck on getting your daughter more comfortable with guns. With mine, I started her on a BB gun for her 10th birthday. I got the least powerful one I could find (350 fps) and made sure it wouldn't shoot through the back fence. She had so much fun shooting cans, that she agreed to let me buy her the Cricket. Of course, it also helped a ton that her Mom mentioned she was 10 when she first started shooting with her Dad.

Now that's an idea. I've got a cheap Daisy BB gun that was my son's. Perhaps I'll take her in the back yard and start her off with that. Thanks for the tip!

[Sputz]

My wife got me a mosin for my Bday this week also. It was fun taking all that grease off. Your stock looks lighter then mine, mine is almost a reddish color. I can't wait to go out and shoot it. Congrats on a nice piece of hardware.

Sputz

[Pawpaw]

Now that's an idea. I've got a cheap Daisy BB gun that was my son's. Perhaps I'll take her in the back yard and start her off with that. Thanks for the tip!

You'd better rethink that.

Check out section 74-81 & 74-82 of the city ordinances.

http://library.municode.com/index.aspx? ... Name=Texas

[Katygunnut]

Now that's an idea. I've got a cheap Daisy BB gun that was my son's. Perhaps I'll take her in the back yard and start her off with that. Thanks for the tip!

You'd better rethink that.

Check out section 74-81 & 74-82 of the city ordinances.

http://library.municode.com/index.aspx? ... Name=Texas

You could always move to Katy:

http://z2.franklinlegal.net/katy-flp/

ARTICLE 7.200 DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS, AIR RIFLES AND OTHER PROJECTILES PROHIBITED*
It shall be unlawful to discharge any firearm, air rifle, pellet gun, BB gun, carbon dioxide (CO2) gun, bow, crossbow, or so-called hunting slingshot so that the projectile therefrom crosses any public property, or crosses any thoroughfare or property line within the City of Katy, Texas; except that such may be discharged by any party upon his own property and upon the property of another only when acting in such other person's presence and with permission.

(1979 Code of Ordinances, Chapter 1, Section 15; Ordinance adopting Code)

[Toadstone]

Yeah, I would save up and buy a .22lr. a 10/22 ($200-ish) would be a safe bet, and it will last forever. Or for a little less ($140-ish) you could get a Mossberg Plinkster. Or this Savage ($120).
Why a .22? Because, off the top of my head:
A) Ammo is wayyyy cheaper, even compared to surplus centerfire ammo.
B) It isn't a cannon that may intimidate smaller shooters.
C) It will be more comfortable to shoot all day with it (if you wanted to).
and
D) Your kids will be able to shoot with it when they get a few years older.